Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
When I was called into ministry, there was prophesy over me that I was set in body of Christ as a prophet ... and there was another prophesy that I was set in body of Christ as an apostle.
We have many examples in Bible of working of prophets in the church. But what about apostle? I asked one of the teachers at the church I attended got no satisfactory examples of what NT apostles do in the church. I turned to God and asked HIM to teach me, and I believe HE did.
First, we need to be clear concerning both apostles and prophets in the New Testament church.
Eph. 4 ... after Jesus arose, after the crucifixion ... He gave gifts to the church for the ministry in the church.
When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
After Jesus arose, he gave these ministry gifts to the church: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher
Paul was not the last apostle. Paul is an example of the first of the New Testament apostles for the church. Why? Because Paul was not like the other apostles. The other apostles knew Jesus when HE walked in the flesh on this earth. Paul did not know Jesus until after the resurrection. Paul is one of those "gifts" given to the church after Jesus arose.
What do apostles do in the NT church? One of the main functions of an apostle today in the NT church is to present scriptural rulings. To see examples of this working, please read the following:
- Divorce/remarriage: What the Bible teaches
- What is the Lord's supper?
- Homosexuals: What the Bible teaches
- OT Sabbath/ NT Sabbath
- Reverend? No place in Bible man called this.
If a tree is said to be an apple tree, we confirm that when we see apples come on that tree.
And the same thing is true with the apostle offices and each of the ministry offices. We do not see the same fruit from apostle and evangelist. These are different ministries. We know the ministry by the fruit produced.